How a VC Can Affect Your Heart

Many people experience occasional PVCs without any problems. If they are frequent, PVCs may weaken your heart and increase your chance of suffering from heart failure.

The rhythm of your heart is usually controlled by a bundle of nerve fibers situated in the upper right-hand corner of your heart. This is known as the sinoatrial nerve, or SA. Electrical signals travel from this node to the lower chambers of your heart, or ventricles.

Causes

PVCs happen when the electrical impulse that usually initiates your heartbeat in a region called the sinus node (also called the sinoatrial or SA Node) doesn't. The impulse actually starts in the ventricles, which causes a mistimed heartbeat. These extra beats are known as ventricular tachycardia and ventricular fibrillation. They may feel like the heart skipped a beating or feels like it is fluttering. They can occur infrequently and cause no symptoms, or they can happen often enough to affect your quality of life. Your doctor may prescribe medication in the event that they are frequent or cause weakness, dizziness or fatigue.

For the majority of people, PVCs are harmless and don't increase your risk of developing heart disease or other health issues. Over time, repeated PVCs can weaken the heart muscle. This is especially true if the PVCs result from a condition like dilated cardiomyopathy and arrhythmogenic right ventricle cardiomyopathy which can cause heart failure.

PVCs can cause symptoms such as a feeling of your heart beating an beat, or the feeling of your heart fluttering. You may also feel breathless. The fluttering can be more noticeable when you exercise or consume certain foods or drinks. People who experience chronic anxiety or stress may have more PVCs and certain drugs like amiodarone digoxin and cocaine can increase the likelihood of developing them.

If you experience occasional PVCs Your doctor might suggest lifestyle changes and medications. If they're a frequent occurrence, you may need to avoid certain drinks and foods like caffeine and alcohol. You can also reduce your stress and get plenty of sleep and exercise.

If you're suffering from many PVCs The doctor Wooden Window Repair may suggest a medical procedure called radiofrequency catheter ablation. It destroys the cells that are responsible for PVCs. Electrophysiologists are the ones who perform this procedure. It is generally effective in treating PVCs and reducing symptoms but it doesn't stop them from recurring in the future. In some cases it can increase the risk of developing atrial fibrillation (AFib), which can lead to stroke. It is not common however it could be life-threatening.

Symptoms

Premature ventricular contractions or PVCs, can make your heart seem to skip or flutter one beat. These extra heartbeats can be harmless, however you might want to consult your doctor when they occur frequently or if you are experiencing symptoms like dizziness or fatigue.

Normally, electrical signals begin in the sinoatrial node located in the top right side of the heart. These signals descend to the lower chambers (or storefront window glass repair ventricles) that pump blood. The ventricles expand to push blood into your lungs, and then return to your heart and start the next pumping cycle. A PVC begins in a different place that is the Purkinje fibres bundle at the left-hand side of the heart.

When PVCs occur, the heart may feel as if it's beating faster or slower. If you've experienced a few episodes and no other symptoms, the doctor will probably not treat you. However, if you have large number of PVCs, the doctor may suggest an electrocardiogram, or ECG to gauge your heart rate over the course of 24 hours. The doctor may also recommend wearing a Holter monitor, which will record your heart rhythm over time to determine the number of PVCs you have.

If you've had an earlier heart attack or have suffered from cardiomyopathy - an illness that affects the way the heart pumps blood - must take their PVCs seriously and consult a cardiologist about lifestyle changes. This includes the avoidance of alcohol, caffeine, and smoking, reducing stress and anxiety and getting enough sleep. A cardiologist may prescribe beta blockers to slow the heartbeat.

If you are experiencing frequent PVCs even if you do not have other symptoms you should see a cardiologist. These heartbeats that are irregular could indicate a problem in the structure of your heart or lungs and if they happen often enough, they can weaken the heart muscle. Most people who suffer from PVCs do not have any problems. They want to know if the irregular heartbeats or fluttering is normal.

Diagnosis

PVCs can feel like heartbeats that are fluttering particularly if they're frequent and intense. People who experience them regularly may feel faint. Exercise can cause them, but many athletes who experience them do not have heart or health issues. PVCs may show up in tests like an electrocardiogram (ECG) or dormer window repair Holter monitor. These patches have sensors that record electrical impulses from your heart. A cardiologist could also employ an echocardiogram, which uses ultrasound to look at the heart and see how it's working.

Often, a doctor will be able to identify if the patient is suffering from PVCs from a history and physical exam. Sometimes however, they might only be able to detect PVCs when they examine a patient for another reason, such as after an accident or a surgery. Ambulatory ECG monitors can detect PVCs and other arrhythmias. They may be used to detect cardiac disease if there is any reason to be concerned.

If your cardiologist concludes that your heart's structure is normal, reassurance will be the only remedy required. If your symptoms are causing you discomfort or cause you to be anxious, avoiding alcohol, caffeine and over-the drug decongestants and reducing stress may aid. Engaging in regular exercise, keeping at a healthy weight, cheapest and drinking enough water can reduce your episodes of PVCs. If the symptoms persist or are severe, talk with your physician about possible medication options to treat the symptoms.

Treatment

If PVCs aren't common or don't cause symptoms, they rarely require treatment. If they happen frequently, your doctor might be able to look for heart problems or suggest lifestyle modifications. You could also have a procedure to get rid of them (called radiofrequency catheter ablation).

If you have PVCs the electrical signal that causes your heartbeat begins somewhere outside of the sinoatrial node (SA node) located in the upper right part of your heart. It can feel like your heart skips a beat or has a few extra beats. It's not clear what causes these, but they're more common in people who have other heart conditions. PVCs may increase in frequency as you age, and may occur more frequently during exercise.

A doctor should conduct an ECG as well as an echocardiogram on a patient that suffers from frequent and painful PVCs to determine if there are structural heart problems. The doctor may also conduct an exercise stress test in order to determine if the additional heartbeats are related to physical exercise. To find out whether there are any other causes for the extra beats an invasive heart catheterization or cardiac MRI could be conducted.

Most people who suffer from PVCs are not affected and live an ordinary life. They may increase the risk of dangerous heart rhythm disorders particularly if they happen in certain patterns. In some cases this means that the heart muscle becomes weaker and is unable to pump blood throughout the body.

Regular exercise and a balanced diet can lower the risk of developing PVCs. Avoid foods high in fat and sodium and limit your intake of caffeine and tobacco. Also, you should try to get enough sleep and reduce stress. Some medicines may also increase your risk of getting PVCs. So if you take one of these drugs, it's important to follow your doctor's instructions about eating well, exercising and taking your medication.

Studies of patients who had a high amount of PVCs (that's more than 20% of their total heart beats) discovered that they had a higher incidence of arrhythmia-induced cardiomyopathy. This could lead to the need for a transplant in a few people.